Last year, GeekVape finally broke out of the standard squonk mod mold when it released the fully regulated, dual-18650 GBOX (reviewed here). But, in order to keep the standard squonk bottle format intact, the mod was large and unwieldy. United Society of Vape tackled this problem head on and reworked the entire format with the star of this show, the USV Mach ON3 squonk mod.

The result? Well, the ON3 isn’t small, and it’s hardly pocket-friendly, but it IS the best use of space in the dual battery squonk market yet. And, if not for two major oversights (at least in my book), the ON3 would have become my favorite bottom-feed mod yet. But, read on – my nitpicking might probably not be the same as yours.

I think the first thing anyone is going to wonder is how to pronounce “ON3.” Is it supposed to be “On three” like a quarterback calling goal line plays? Or is it a stylized way to write “ONE,” meaning the one and only squonker you’ll need in your collection?

Either way, what does the “3” represent? There’s two batteries. It holds 9mL of liquid. There’s one USB cable in the box. Confusing – and that’s coming from a guy who owns 11 different mods with the word “PRIV” in the name.

Nomenclature aside, the ON3 makes a compelling first impression. The size is intimidating, to be sure, especially for a completely zinc alloy frame. But the beveled edges, tapered corners and nice texturing allow the ON3 to sit comfortably in the hand, even with the massive dimensions.

Sitting atop the ON3 is the included MACH Two RDA [Ed. – not “2WO?”]. It’s a standard issue BF-RDA, which is promoted as a “heavy duty” dripper but wasn’t nearly the performance focused beast it claimed to be. The simple dual-post design definitely makes the case for minimalism, but there’s not a lot to crow about here, other than an absolutely MONSTROUS juice well, which should keep even the heaviest Squonkers flood-free.

The 1.3-inch color TFT display is passable, and certainly conveys the necessary information, but it’s fairly pedestrian by modern standards. And the colors themselves aren’t the brightest or sharpest available. Still, considering the squonk market is dominated by unregulated devices, I doubt many will care that the ON3 is a little behind the times.

Finally, the magnetic back door allows for easy removal of the squonk bottle, but this flimsy, loose piece comes off far too readily – something I noticed when trying to put the ON3 in my pocket. I fully expect people to tape this door before too long.

The key feature of the ON3 is the uniquely shaped squonk bottle, which is rectangular in the front, where people will squeeze. But when you remove this 9mL container, you’ll find two cutout slots to accommodate the 18650 battery compartments.

This DEFINITELY allows the mod to stay relatively slender, but in order to work properly, only the front half of the bottle is pliable, while the back half against the batteries is firm and unforgiving. Now, I’m no engineer, but when I see soft plastic molded with hard plastic in one piece, I start worrying about cracking and wear. When I think about how often I’ll be pressing the bottle, I start worrying a little more.

Then, to top things off, USV did NOT include a second bottle to use as a replacement for the ON3. I realize this is a more-advanced design that might cost a little extra to produce. But I would have much preferred they left out the dripper and included an extra bottle, since this is a proprietary piece. I love that USV did something different to increase ergonomics, but this might go down as the biggest win and hugest fail, all in one design.

(To be fair, I didn’t experience any cracking or leaking during my testing, but time will tell to see how stress affects the ON3’s performance.)

The other key highlight is the VO Tech 240-watt chipset, which performed admirably, all the way to its max wattage, with smooth, fast ramping performance. No stutter-steps or hiccups to be found here – the VO chipset is a proven winner, and easily the best system I’ve seen for a squonker to date. Not only is it moderately customizable, but the interface is user-friendly, even for beginners.

Overall, the USV Mach ON3 hits smooth and hits hard, even with the somewhat limited Mach TWO RDA attached. Though there was adequate flavor and vapor using the stock RDA (and included Ni80 Clapton coils) I found that moving to a more-capable bottom-feeder (like the always amazing Dead Rabbit [reviewed here]) led to a much more flavorful experience. Bottom line – use the reviewed here, enjoy the RDA, don’t go and buy the RDA on its own.

Regardless of which RDA was attached, the squonk action was smooth and effortless, even though the bottle is a little stiff when first starting out. After just a few hours, the plastic seemed to “break in” a bit, allowing for easier operation with any finger you choose.

I understand the size and design limitations of the ON3, but still would have preferred a side-mounted fire button rather than the front-facing key here. While it makes sense on paper to have the fire key and squonk port in the same relative position, the ON3 is simply too large for comfortable use in this format.

Thankfully, the onboard control scheme is straightforward and linear, and within minutes I had the operations down pat, with no confusion, even in the accurate temperature control. I may not use TC often – especially when squonking – but the VO chipset is known for its precise, user-friendly control, and it’s no exception on the ON3.

But for all the details above, the biggest takeaway I have about the Mach ON3 is how smoothly and effortlessly it performs. Each press of the unique bottle led to a controlled, but ample rush of e-liquid to the RDA deck, while the mod itself ramped and vaped in near-record time. The flavor is potent, and the vapor production is heavy and immediate – all good qualities to have in a squonk mod.

Most importantly, the ON3 might be the world’s first truly “long-term” squonker. Not only does the mod sip battery power, leading to nearly five hours of performance (impressive for a squonker) but the 9mL bottle all but ensures you’ll enjoy the performance for much longer than most competitors could offer. It’s not quite “all day” but you’re not going to find many Squonkers that can do better.

I wish there was a spare bottle and stronger rear door included in the kit, because I have a bad feeling that people are going to need to replace both before long. But all the same, I genuinely enjoyed using the USV Mach ON3. In terms of straight squonk performance, it’s as smooth and powerful as any on the market. When you factor in the dual-18650 setup and regulated, top-tier chipset, it only gets better. Recommended.

Score: A-

The USV Mach On3 can be purchased at Element Vape